Coffea canephora robusta
Quick Summary
Coffea canephora, commonly known as Robusta, is one of two major species of coffee plants, the other being Coffea arabica. Robusta is a hardy shrub or small tree native to tropical Africa. It is cultivated primarily in western and central Africa, Southeast Asia, and Brazil.123
Robusta plants are more resilient than Arabica and can grow at lower altitudes, from sea level to 600 meters. Robusta beans are rounder and more convex than Arabica beans. They are cheaper to produce and contain twice the caffeine content of Arabica beans. Consequently, Robusta is often used in inexpensive commercial coffee blends.14
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